Visibility of ‘I’ in the invisible: a diasporic reading of invisible man by Ralph Ellison

Abstract

Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man (1952) is awarded with National Book Award in 1953. It is a work of nationhood that discusses various topics like marginalisation, sustainability, crises of livelihood, supremacy and the socio-political instabilities. Modernity and the imperialist have brought diversity in the regional and ethical entities. Invisible Man deals with the need of willingness that is being suppressed by the unethical norms of colour, cast and creed. It also discusses the hardships of the Afro-Americans who survived in the mainstream with a spur of revival. So Invisible Man is on the other hand is treated as the voice of the marginalised.  The novel begins with a first person narrative who is a black. The colour of his skin made him invisible even in his own eyes. So the question of being “I?” remains constant through out the novel.  Apart from black identity and nationalism Invisible Man also discusses the substantial issues of individuality and personal identity. The narrator is being unnamed because it does not represent the black or the marginalised where as it represents the whole idea of the individuality. The novel seeks answer for the invisible ‘I’ who is needed to be visible and voiced.